Take-off aborted after stairs left hanging

[Air Ace]

The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/take-off-aborted-for-asylum-seekers-after-stairs-left-hanging/story-e6frg6nf-1225864750503)

Take-off aborted for asylum-seekers after stairs left hanging
Dennis Shanahan
From: The Australian
May 11, 2010 12:00AM

A CHARTERED Airbus with a full load of 120 asylum-seekers and Australian officials had to abort its take-off from the Cocos Islands on Sunday night because its rear stairs were trailing along the tarmac.

Customs officials and customers at the nearby Cocos Island Club had to rush to the airfield apron, climb over the perimeter fence and run towards the plane waving their arms to alert the pilot to the problem.

When the plane stopped, an airfield manager used a radio to contact the pilot.

Australian electronics businessman Jack O'Donnell, who was at the Cocos Club, said people were shocked to see the plane trailing the rear stairs as it taxied on to the tarmac.

The trailing stairs caused a shower of sparks as the plane picked up speed.

Mr O'Donnell told The Australian last night that the "trailing stairs caused a hell of a racket and were sending out sparks".

"There were some Customs officers nearby and they pelted towards the fence as we all started to run towards the airfield," he said. "One of the Customs blokes got over the fence first and ran up waving his arms to stop the plane.

"It was clear the pilot and others at different parts of the airfield couldn't see the stairs at the rear."

When the pilot was informed, the rear door was opened and the stairs withdrawn into their separate hatch.

The pilot then recommenced the take-off.

A spokesman for the Air Transport Safety Bureau said last night there had been no report received of the incident but it did expect one within the 72-hour reporting period.

A Department of Immigration spokesman said the federal government was concerned at the incident and had called for a full report.

[slice]

Sounds like a Monty Python scene!!:}

[BombardierBrat]

An Airbus with rear airstairs? :hmm:

[Flight Detent]

Errr...I don't recall any federal government announcement regarding the landing of MORE illegal immigrants at Cocos islands!

and, of course, where were they going on this flying circus?

also, I don't recall that the Cocos Island flight strip actually had a fence!
..except for the small area surrounding the ramp!

Cheers...FD...:)

[tcasegpws]

Skytraders A319?

[Monopole]

Errr...I don't recall any federal government announcement regarding the landing of MORE illegal immigrants at Cocos islands!
That because their not. The asylum-seekers were the ones aboard the boat that ran out of fuel off Cocos. They were taken to the island to feed and clean them up after 5 of their buddys went missing when the tried to swim (300km) for help.

The charter was to take them to the Christmas Island detention centre.

My first thought was Strategics 320, but I didnt think they had rear stairs (or fron stairs for that matter).

[apacau]

Skytraders might have rear stairs on their A319 for Antarctic ops?

[evilc]

Just called up an old mate who flies with Strategic and he says it wasn't them. They were busy doing another ADF charter from LEA to AMB apparently.

If I didn't know that the Skywest A320 was firmly against the fence in Melbourne I'd have thought maybe that was the only other choice, as Jetstar & Tiger seem to steer clear of those charters. But I guess if it's a matter of integral stairs then it could only be Skytraders as I understand they had them fitted in the A319 for the Antarctic ops.

[Monopole]

If I didn't know that the Skywest A320 was firmly against the fence in Melbourne :}:}:D
Any chance for a fishing trip. And they've been biting good this week. Must be the phase of the moon.

[Jabawocky]

.........and if so you would reckon there would be a fancy warning system in place to prevent such stuff ups!

[Air Ace]

Seven posts establish which aircraft? You guys are getting slow!

Skytraders might have rear stairs on their A319 for Antarctic ops?

[AerocatS2A]

Was it actually an aborted take-off or was the aircraft just taxiing? I know it says "take-off aborted", but then body of the text makes it sound more like an aborted taxi.

[Neptunus Rex]

Ah! The Cocos Club. Memories of some very pleasant times there in the 70s and 80s.
Now they will have something to talk about for weeks.

http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/drinkingbuds.gif

[teresa green]

Mmm,can well remember a Ansett aircraft taxiing with her step sticking out like a indicator on a car, just so she could get the run on a TAA aircraft for the "Great Australian Air Race" aka SYD/PER.

[tasdevil.f27]

In Antarctica they use push in rear stairs not air stairs.

[Whiskey Oscar Golf]

The Cocos island refueller told me the bloke who waved his arms around ( who isn't a customs officer ) hadn't run that fast since 1986. He now wants to be known as the "white flash" and stares at the hardstand looking for another chance to move with the lightning speed he has shown he is capable of, which we all doubted I might add.

regards

[Cactusjack]

Hey Whiskey,Good intel from the refueller

The Cocos island refueller told me the bloke who waved his arms around ( who isn't a customs officer ) hadn't run that fast since 1986. He now wants to be known as the "white flash" and stares at the hardstand looking for another chance to move with the lightning speed he has shown he is capable of, which we all doubted I might add.


Perhaps the TSV Refueller has moved further North ??

[Neptunus Rex]

About 400 nm north, but thousands west!

[Cactusjack]

I stand corrected. Good pick up !!

[AerocatS2A]

Did you end up getting over there Wogboy? We were sent home. Pity, I was looking forward to a drink with DS.

[Whiskey Oscar Golf]

Nah Aerocat, I was hampered by F&D's but it was DS who is now the "white flash". Must have looked pretty good to see him jump the fence. His lightning run from the club saved the day.

[AerocatS2A]

Ha ha! Classic. The mental image...

[CSTGuy]

FYI the A319 is parked at Perth Airport. So a good assumption would be that, yes, the Antarctic plane, with the rear stairs fitted, is the culprit.:ok:

[apacau]

From Flight Global and reported on another board:

Skytraders Chief Pilot and Director of Operations Terry Vickers confirms his company's A319 (above) was the aircraft involved in the Sunday incident at Cocos Islands off the northwestern coast of Australia. "There was a human error at the issue in closing the door which was combined with an erroenous cockpit indicator. The indicator in the cockpit said the stairs were retracted and the doors were closed," Vickers says.

During the cabin door closing procedure the stairs at the front left-hand side of the aircraft were left deployed and a cockpit warning indicator failed to alert the crew to the problem. Vickers explains that in normal operation, "You get an error in the cockpit if you start the engines with the stairs not retracted."

Vickers says the crew taxied at Cocos Islands airport for 50-100 metres before a flight attendant, "who could hear the the noise of the stairs scraping along," alerted the pilots to the problem. Vickers says that despite media reports he is not aware of ground personnel or onlookers rushing to the aircraft to alert the crew to the problem. Nor did the aircraft attempt to take off with the stairs deployed, Vickers adds.

[Flight Detent]

Hey Neptunus Rex....

your "About 400 nm north, but thousands west!" ..from Cocos,

should make him around about the Diego Garcia area, shouldn't it?

Since when has there been a refueler at Cocos?

I to spent quite a few overnights at Cocos in the late 70s and 80s, during my time in the RAAF P3 squadrons.
We actually had to do an engine change there once, which eventually had two P3s and two C-130s there at the same time...very busy!

Cheers...FD...:)

[Capn Bloggs]

Since when has there been a refueler at Cocos?

Ever since this bloke moved there:

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w334/capnbloggs/cck.jpg

:ok:

[Green gorilla]

Thats the only reason I got back to the mainland the last time I landed at Cocos.

[SRM]

Never had an overnight in Cocos in the 727 days, but had some great parties in Per after the flight.;)

[CaptR]

Least the airstairs won't move much when their feet are on the ice anymore now they have been sharpened up a bit - would have been interesting to see that occur down south - if damaged the Airbus could have become a permenent new hut on the ice - lovely!!!!!

[josephfeatherweight]

Yes, the details are quite sketchy at the moment (and more than likely somewhat "media embellished") - however, the decision to simply retract the stairs and continue (without maintenance inspection - I assume) will surely raise a few questions in the investigation.

[Rudder]

I know the chief pilot quite well and while I haven't spoken to him about this I understand they always fly with an engineer so it is likely that it was inspected.

If I read this right and based on the FlightGlobal Blog. From the first post here .. Rear stairs - wrong, aborted take off with stairs extended - wrong, 120 pax -wrong. Got to love the press ..great theatre. You have to wonder what else is wrong.

At its core this is clearly not something that should have happened.

Interesting in that it does show that you really have to be careful with what people witness and then say they saw and what they actually do see in the stress of the moment. This is of course giving the journalist no credit for poetic licence!!

[YPJT]

So no one had a UNICOM radio or safety vehcle tuned to CTAF?:ugh: If something like this did indeed occur then questions need to be asked about the levels of training and competence of ground handlers. That's what happens when amateurs are allowed to run airports.
Not unlike the recent stair incident that occurred at the rock.

[Capt Fathom]

So no one had a UNICOM radio or safety vehcle tuned to CTAF

Because it's such a busy CTAF, their transmissions were blocked.....:E

[Whiskey Oscar Golf]

There may, be more to this than meets the eye. The ESIR's are in and no doubt the full truth will come out from the reliable eyewitnesses, including the odd LAME, the airport manager (who did get on the radio) and some aircrew,(ASIC holders and allowed to enter and walk the hardstand when attempting to alert pilots of a hazard) who all saw the whole drama played out, then walked the taxiway and strip after the aircraft had left.

Regards

[Red Jet]

the decision to simply retract the stairs and continue (without maintenance inspection - I assume) will surely raise a few questions in the investigation.


Don't assume anything- Skytraders don't go anywhere without an engineer onboard! It would have been dealt with properly, and damage was negligible anyway.

[hussler]

Slightly off topic but does anyone have in info on Skytraders?? I am particularly after minimum requirements and conditions. PM if you like. Thanks